Pitman



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

* A. GRIBVBS.

PlirMAN.

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAY 16, 1903.

I0 MODEL.

' @Hummm @L @inw ` UNITED STATES Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT GRIEVES, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PITMAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 51,500, dated February 9, 1904. i

Application filed May 16, 1903. `Serial No. 157,372. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT GRIEvEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springeld, in the county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pitman and other Connections, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to an improvement in pitman and other connections.

The object of the invention is to take up any looseness occasioned between the parts which surround thev crank-pin or similar device.

The invention consists substantially in the construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more fully pointed out in the claims.

Like letters refer to the same parts in the drawings, in which- Figure l represents a plan view of a pit- -man connection applied to a crank-pin on the fly-wheel of a mowing-machine. Fig. 2 is a view showing a longitudinal cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. In the drawings the invention is shown applied, for exemplification, to the pitman of a mowing-machine where it connects to the crank-pin of the iy-wheel. This is a point where there is usually great wear, owing to the eccentric motion andthe rapidity of the motion, and therefore it is particularly necessary to take up anylooseness resulting from such wear. l v

A designates the pitman of a mowing-machine to which is connected in the usual manner a yoke or fork a.

Bdesignates the ily-wheel, which is of any customary construction.

C marks the crankpin, which is best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

D indicates a portion of the frame of a mowing-machine.

b designates .a close-fitting bushing which encompasses the crank-pin and is formed with an enlarged spherical portion on its outer surface, with its greatest diameter formed at the point indicated at the line 2 2 in Fig. l. The bushing in turn is surrounded by clamps, which in this case are made in two sections c `and c. The part or section c is preferably i `formed with a circumferential seat or groove for-thefork of the pitman. Part c/ may be conveniently provided with holes or apertures `through which the extreme ends of the fork a may pass and project sufliciently beyond to enable asuitable fastening device to be ap-l ;plied thereto, which in the illustration is a and in a certain denite adjustment by means of these'nuts. When these jaws or clamps are new, they are designed so as to it closely around the bushing; but a certain space is left between them, as shown at e, so that when applied their proximate ends will not bear against each other. jaws there is advantageously formed a suitable rest or socket both above and below for springs, which in the drawings are indicated at f. For the sake of economy in construction and space it has been found convenient to have the springs encircle the fork-arms of the pitman. The tendency ofthe springs is to force apart the jaws or clamps, and their tension is to an extent regulated by the nuts before referred to, as it is required from time to time, inasmuch as the springs ordinarily in the course. of use lose a part of their tension, and this tension or power of expansion is increased as the clamps are adjusted by the nuts up to a certain limit, and at the same time the clamps are made to approach each other by the same Vvmanipulation of said nuts, and thus'take up the wear between said clamps and the bushing.

^ In extensive use of bearings of this nature In one of the clamps orv it has been found that there will bea certain i Y amount of wear between the bushings and the clamps and a corresponding amount of looseness, which is decidedly objectionable .and should be taken up, and likewise it has' been found that in the manufacture of the `devices the relative proportions of the bushings and clamps are somewhat variable, so that with the same adjustment by the nuts the looseness between said bushings'and clamps in different connections will not be the same. It has been customary, therefore, for many years to insert some means between the clamps to hold them rigidly apart, no matter if there is wear between such clamps and bushings orvariable sizes, as indicated, and to effect this end a means frequently employed has been a series of washers, which have certain objections which will now be stated. In the first place in assembling the machines it is hardly pos'- sible to determine without experiment how many washers are required, and the machinist may put in a given number of washers and then'assemble the parts and find that he has too many or too few washers and have no other recourse but to knock down these parts and remove or add washers and try again. This may happen more than once and has a tendency to consume considerable time. By the spring illustrated in the drawings in place of the washers the parts may be adjusted into their proper relation at the first attempt at assembling such parts, for the spring yields and permits the parts to be brought together with sufficient nearness, no matter whether they vary in size in different connections or not. Again, in the actual use of the machine when looseness results from wear the farmer, who is frequently not expert in adjusting the machine, will attempt .to take up the looseness by merely screwing up the nuts; but it is manifest that there has not been the same wear on the washers produced as has been effected between the clamps and bushings, and consequently the washers will interpose a rigid obstacle to bringing the clamps closer to the bushings and the farmer will think that he has effected the taking. up of the looseness when, in fact, he has utterly failed to accomplish this end, and, moreover, even if the farmer is sufficiently expert to appreciate that he must take out one or more washers in order to secure the desired adjustment it requires some time and experiment to do this, which it is desirable should be avoided. By the use of the springs illustrated in the drawings in place of the washers referred to the farmer, whether he is expert or not, will when he finds looseness between the clamp and bushing naturally turn the nuts, and as the springs yield he must secure the adjustment for the taking up of this looseness without interfer- Furthermore, as the thickness of washers varies it is evident that the same nicety of adjustment cannot always be had as by the use of springs in place of washers.

It is obvious that the invention above referred to may be utilized in various parts of machinery and in many other kinds of machines without change in principle, and it is not, therefore, to be understood that there is any intention of limiting the application to cranl-pins or fly-wheels of mowing-machines, although this form of machine is shown in the drawings, and the invention may be ad-y vantageously used in connection therewith. It 1s further manifest that many changes may be made 1n the detalls of the device shown without departing from the spirit thereof,'

and these will occur to the ordinary mechanic.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a pitman connection, the combination of a crankpin and a pitman, and means for connecting these parts, including clamp-jaws applied to said pin, said jaws being of less length than a semicirele, yielding means interposed between saidjaws and normally tending to separate them, and means for drawing said jaws together, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a pitman connection, the combination of a crank-pin and a pitman, and means for connecting these parts, including clamp-jaws arranged to form a bearing-seat for said pin, means for yieldingly maintaining said jaws out of contacting relation with respect to cach other, and means for drawing said jaws toward each other to take up Wear of the bearing-surface of said jaws upon said pin, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination in a pitman connection, of a pitman, a crank-pin, and jaws or clamps for connecting such pitman and crank-pin, of

means for holding the jaws or clamps in bear- 9 ing relation with respect to the crank-pin, and elastic means tending to force said jaws or clamps away from said crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. rlhe combination ina pitman connection, of a pitman, a crank-pin having a spherical surface, and jaws or clamps for connecting such pitman and crank pin, of means for holding said jaws or clamps `in bearing relation with respect to the crank-pin, and elastic means tending to force said jaws or clamps away from said crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination in a pitman connection, of a pitman, a crank-pin,a bushing surrounding such crank-pin, jaws or clamps bearing against the bushing, and means for holding the jaws or clamps in definite relation to said bushing, and elastic means tending to separate said jaws or clamps; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination in a pitman connection, of a pitman, a crank-pin, a bushing surrounding the crank-pin and having a spherical portion, jaws or clamps bearing against the bushing,

means for holding the jaws or clamps in delinite relation to the crank-pin and bushing, and elastic means tending to force said jaws or clamps apart; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination in a pitman connection, of a pitman formed at one end with two branches, a crank-pin, jaws or clamps for connecting such pitman and crank-pin, one of said jaws or clamps being formed with a seat IOO adapted' to the fork of said branched pitman, and the other jaw or clamp having perforations lat its opposite ends adapted to guide it on the said branches, of means for holding the jaws or clamps in definite relation to the crank-pin, and means tending tol force said jaws or clamps apart and awayfrom said crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination in a pitman connection, ofa pitman, a crank-pin, and jaws or clamps for connecting such pitman and crank-pin, each of the sections of said jaws having a length slightly less than a semicircle, whereby such jaws are vprevented from contacting with eachother, means for positively holding the jaws or clamps in definite relation to the crank-pin, and means automatically tending to force said jaws or clamps away from said crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination in apitman connection, of a pitmanV formed at one end with two branches, a crank-pin, a pair of jaws or clamps connecting the pitman and crank-pin, land one of such jaws having a seat or depression for the yoke of the pitman, and the other having apertures at each end adapted to guide the same on the branches of the pitman, and said jaws each having inside seats adapted to lit its connection to the pitman, with means for positively holding the jaws or clamps in definite relation to the crank-pin, and means tending toautomatically force said jaws or clamps away from said crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

l0. The combination in a pitman connection, of a pitman provided at one end with two branches, a crank-pin, a pair of jaws or clamps for connecting such pitman and crankpin, one of such jaws provided with sockets or seats, elastic means arranged in said sockets or seats, and the other provided-with an abutment for supporting one .end of such elastic means, whereby the jaws or clamps may be automatically under a pressure tend- 'ing to separate them, and means for normally holding such jaws in a denite relation to each other; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

*I 11. The combination in a pitman connec-'- and to the crank-pin; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. Thel combination in a pitman `connection, of a pitman having a forked or branched end, 'a crank-pin, a bushing encircling the crank-pin, a pair of jaws or clamps bearing against the bushing, one of which has an eX- terior curved seat for the yoke, and the other of which is apertured at each end'for the passage of the two branches of the yoke of said pitman, and is recessed at each end on its inner surface, springs seated in the recesses in one jaw and bearing against the end of the other jaw, thereby tending to force said jaws apart, and nuts arranged eXteriorly of the outer jaw and engaging screw-threads upon the branched ends of the pitman, and bearing against the outer ends of such jaw, whereby a definite and positive adjustment is provided; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 6th day of May, 1903,in the presence of the subscribing witnesses. v

ALBERT GRIEVES.'

Witnesses:

CHASE STEWART, MAURICE KANE. 

